February 29, 2012

California’s 15th Annual ‘Read Across America’ Friday Is Another Edition About Joys of Reading

BURLINGAME – California’s public school educators will join a nationwide celebration of reading on Friday, March 2, as they meet up with local celebrities, parents, city officials and others at events statewide for the National Education Association’s 15th annual “Read Across America” extravaganza.

Millions of people across the nation will take part in the celebration, as will thousands of California educators and students. The event’s theme is “Sink Your Teeth Into A Good Book.” It’s held on the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss, Theodor Seuss Geisel. Honorary co-chairs of the CTA events this year are James Burks, Neil Klayman and Barry Chung, the authors and illustrators for this year’s highlighted books: “Gabby and Gator,” a graphic novel about friendship, bullying and being accepted for who you are; and “Boris Ate a Thesaurus,” about a boy who eats a thesaurus and speaks in volumes – and synonyms! Keeping things cool will be another co-chair of the event, Lou Paulson, president of the California Professional Firefighters.

“We know that reading is the foundation of all learning, and the more that children can read well and enjoy what they read, the more they learn,” said Dean E. Vogel, president of the 325,000-member California Teachers Association, who will be reading to students in Sacramento Friday. “As we celebrate the power of reading on this day, we also call for a halt to education cuts that have resulted in so many school librarian layoffs and the closure of many school libraries.”

CTA partners this year for the event include Major League Soccer teams LA Galaxy and Chivas USA, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists union, California School Library Association, California Professional Firefighters, Los Angeles County Fire Department, See’s Candies, Scholastic Inc., Barnes and Noble, California Library Association, First Financial Credit Union, and Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes restaurants. More Read Across America information is at www.cta.org/raa. The media can find events in dozens of California cities at www.nea.org. Below is a sampling of confirmed events on Friday, March 2, across California:Events With Top CTA Officers on Friday, March 2

SACRAMENTO: From 9:45-11:30 a.m. Friday, CTA President Dean E. Vogel will join Read Across America honorary chairperson Lou Paulson, president of the California Professionals Firefighters, in reading “Boris Ate a Thesaurus” and “Gabby and Gator” to first-graders at Nicholas Elementary, 6601 Steiner Drive, Sacramento, 95823. Sacramento City Teachers Association President Scott Smith will be taking part as well. CTA contacts by cell: Len Feldman at 916-502-1820 or Jay Ortiz, 650-863-2884.

LENNOX: From 8:30-9:30 a.m., CTA Vice President Eric Heins will join “Gabby and Gator” author and illustrator James Burks in reading to students at Buford Elementary, 4919 West 109th St, Lennox, 90304. They will both read to second-graders from 8:30-9:30 a.m., then Burks will read by himself to students from 10-11 a.m. CTA Board member Bonnie Shatun will also take part. CTA contact: Frank Wells at 562-708-5425 (cell).

RIVERSIDE and SAN BERNARDINO: CTA Secretary-Treasurer Mikki Cichocki will be reading to students at schools in Riverside and San Bernardino – accompanied by Neil Klayman and Barry Chung, the author and illustrator of “Boris Ate a Thesaurus.” Times and locations: 9-10 a.m. at Central Middle School, 4795 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, 92506; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Riley Elementary, 1266 North G Street, San Bernardino, 92405. CTA contact: Bill Guy at 619-709-0028 (cell).

REDONDO BEACH: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. James Burks, author of the “Gabby and Gator” book, will read to students at Madison Elementary, 2200 MacKay Lane, 90278. CTA Board member Bonnie Shatun will also take part. Contact: Amy Santa Cruz, 310-798-8623.

CITY OF COMMERCE: Guest readers will treat students all day long at Bandini Elementary, 2318 Couts Ave., City of Commerce. Montebello Teachers Association President Julian De La Torre will be dressed as a pirate and will read at 2 p.m. Contact the school at 323-261-8782.

SAN BERNARDINO: San Bernardino Teachers Association President Rebecca Harper will celebrate Friday by reading to afternoon kindergarten students of SBTA Secretary and teacher Nancy Glenn at Lytle Creek Elementary, 275 South K St., San Bernardino, 92410. Contact: SBTA President Rebecca Harper, 909-648-4970.

SAN DIEGO: Representatives of Souplantation restaurants, a division of the San Diego-based Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp., will read books beginning at 9 a.m. to the first and second grade students of San Diego Education Association members Kerri Keogh and Karen Lynch at Miramar
Ranch Elementary, 10770 Red Cedar Drive, San Diego, 92131. The guest readers will serve Souplantation muffins to the students and present them with bookmarks and stickers. Contact: Miramar Ranch Dean of Students Magdelena Ruvalcaba, 858-271-0470.

SOLANA BEACH : 9 a.m. CTA Board member Jim Groth will join representatives of Souplantation restaurants to read books to the first- and second-grade students of Solana Beach Teachers Association members Tarri Baldwin and Marie Schultz at Solana Highlands Elementary, 3520 Long Run Drive, Solana Beach, 92075. The guest readers will serve Souplantation muffins to the students and present them with bookmarks and stickers. Contact: SBTA co-president Tarri Baldwin, 858-357-3632.

ALVORD: Nearly 150 Riverside County readers from the U.S. Air Force, the Chamber of Commerce, local credit unions, Ontario Airport employees, and ASB students from area high schools will read to students at each of the Alvord Unified School District’s 14 elementary schools Friday to help the Alvord Educators Association celebrate Read Across America. “We will have readers in almost every elementary classroom in our district,” said AEA President Leigh Hawkinson. Contact: Leigh Hawkinson, 951-689-0804.

FONTANA: Special student assemblies on Friday will cap a week of reading-related events at Citrus Elementary, 16041 Randall Ave., Fontana, 92335. Students at the assemblies will be read to by a costumed Cat in the Hat, and volunteers will be reading to various classes during the day. Contact: Dina Calderon at 909-357-5140 or 909-717-8972 (cell).

EL SEGUNDO: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. A full day of reading events are planned at Richmond Street Elementary School, 615 Richmond St., El Segundo, 90245. Friday is a school-wide pajama day, so students will come to school ready to cuddle up with good books. At 9 a.m., all students will be participating in the Reading Pledge, with posters to sign and hang in their classrooms. Second-grade students will be kicking off their annual read-a-thon with a short assembly. Kindergarten students will make hats and taste-test green eggs. The Cat in the Hat will come to read a Dr. Seuss book. The music teacher has been teaching the primary grade students the Read Across America song that the students will sing together at the assembly. Family Night and a book fair are from 5-8 p.m. Families will be encouraged to join the luau fun. Contact: Lisa Haun at 310-989-8612.

NATIONAL CITY: A whole week of reading events at Palmer Way Elementary in National City will be capped by a reader reception Friday at 9:45 a.m. Classroom readers start at 10:15 a.m. Contact: Tamlyn McKean at 619-867-6671 (cell).

DIAMOND BAR: Guest readers will read to all of the classes on Friday at Diamond Point Elementary, 24150 Sunset Crossing Road, Diamond Bar, 91765. The school will be having a raffle to win books and a family pack of movie tickets to enjoy the “The Lorax” film, which debuts in theaters on March 2. In honor of the Lorax theme, we will be having a tree planting ceremony on campus. Finally, the Cat in the Hat will be roaming in and out of rooms throughout the day as educators celebrate literacy. Contact: Carol Martinez at 909-397-4587.

COMPTON: 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Community parents, teachers and others will be reading to Compton
Unified students in a celebration of reading in the school board room, 501 South Santa Fe Ave., Compton, 90221. Contact: Compton Education Association President Patrick Sullivan at 310-638-8576.

Sampling of Northern California Read Across America Events March 2

SAN JOSE: Teachers from San Jose Unified will fan out to read to kids at seven public libraries in town from 4-5 p.m. Friday: King, Almaden, Berryessa, East San Jose Carnegie, Hillview, Santa Teresa and Willow Glen. Contact: San Jose Teachers Association President Steve McMahon at 408-267-0411.

BRISBANE: 9 a.m. See’s Candy official Tracy Marks and others will be reading to students at Brisbane Elementary, 500 San Bruno Ave., Brisbane. Contact: Principal Chad Carvey at 415-586-6595.

CONCORD: All day Friday, guest readers will celebrate reading at Meadow Homes Elementary, 1371 Detroit Ave., Concord, 94520. The Mt. Diablo Unified superintendent and Mike Langley, president of the Mt. Diablo Education Association, will take part. Contact: MDEA President Mike Langley at 925-325-2499 or the school Principal Mary-Louise Newling, 925-685-8760.

SUISUN CITY: 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The day starts with the “books and bagels” event with kindergartners and their families reading together at Suisun Elementary, 725 Golden Eye Way, Suisun City, 94585. Students and teachers will be wearing pajamas all day. Third-grade teacher Corie Barloggi will be reading her children’s book she wrote and illustrated about her cat, “In Jack’s Mind.” In her Room 25, she will explain how to write and publish a book. First graders will be performing a play for first-grade special day classes. The day ends with students reading outside on the grass from 2-2:30 p.m. Contact: Teacher Janet Robertson at 707-421-4210 or 707-718-0502 (cell).

FAIRFIELD: Kindergartners and first-graders are coming to school in pajamas with their favorite stuffed animal Friday at Anna Kyle Elementary, 1600 Kidder Ave., Fairfield, 94533. Students from a nearby school, community volunteers and school board members will be reading to them, starting about 9 a.m. Contact: Teacher Laurie Thompson at 707-421-4105 or 707-580-1815 (cell).

MADERA: Members of the community will entertain students with books on “Celebrity Reader Day” at John Adams Elementary, 1822 National Ave., Madera, 93637. Costumed creatures will include Cat in the Hat and Thing One and Thing Two. Contact: Marlo Diaz at 559-674-4631.

YUBA CITY: Students from Amelia Davies’ English classes at Yuba City High School will be visiting all 12 elementary schools in Yuba City Unified School District on Friday to read to children. Contact: Yuba City Teachers Association President Dina Luetgens, 530- 218-4089.

REDDING: Members of the community have been invited to visit Cypress Elementary School in Redding and to read to pajama-clad students throughout the day. Contact: Teacher Jennifer Mosier at 530-225-0040.

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The 325,000-member California Teachers Association is affiliated with the 3.2 million-member National Education Association.